Pull-start internal combustion engines are commonly used in equipment such as lawnmowers, snowblowers, leaf blowers, and the like. The typical starter mechanism for these types of engines can include a starter pulley driven by a pull rope, the starter pulley then being coupled to a flywheel. As the pull cord is drawn, the starter pulley is rotated, thereby rotating the flywheel. The energy accrued in the flywheel is transferred to the driveshaft of the engine, giving it the rotational energy needed to start the engine.
To ensure the power is transferred efficiently, the components should be securely coupled to each other, and there are a number of ways that a starter pulley and a flywheel can be coupled together. For instance, some flywheel assemblies are coupled using upwardly-facing pins on the flywheel and mating holes on the starter pulley. In these configurations, the two pieces can be connected together and then assembled onto the engine. The problem with this kind of coupling arrangement is that there is nothing to fix the two pieces to each other. Alternatively, the coupling of these elements can be accomplished using bolts or other similar fasteners. Although such fasteners provide more secure coupling, however, their use adds additional time and work during assembly.
Therefore, improved attachment apparatuses and methods are needed for coupling the rotation of a starter pulley to a flywheel.